Ryan Seacrest, NBC Election Coverage Contributor?

[Lkeller]

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Maybe Seacrest to NBC News or MSNBC news would catch viewers in the short term but wouldn't Seacrest be judged as being the male Katie Couric. I know CBS was criticized for putting Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News from 2006-2011 until the ratings showed that CBS did not performed well. I would say NBC and MSNBC would get a Scott Pelley/ Cronkite type person as a backup if Seacrest does not work on MSNBC and NBC
[/quote]

NBC would never make Seacrest an anchor - that would invite an avalanche of criticism and derision from other media outlets.  I see his role as more of an interviewer, or possibly a guy on the set with an interactive map - like John King at CNN.  But an anchor - no.

[recto101]

Maybe Seacrest to NBC News or MSNBC news would catch viewers in the short term but wouldn't Seacrest be judged as being the male Katie Couric. I know CBS was criticized for putting Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News from 2006-2011 until the ratings showed that CBS did not performed well. I would say NBC and MSNBC would get a Scott Pelley/ Cronkite type person as a backup if Seacrest does not work on MSNBC and NBC
[/quote]

NBC would never make Seacrest an anchor - that would invite an avalanche of criticism and derision from other media outlets.  I see his role as more of an interviewer, or possibly a guy on the set with an interactive map - like John King at CNN.  But an anchor - no.
[/quote]

Seacrest as the Male Barbara Walters or Katie Couric probably. Thats as far as I can see it for now. But He will always be best known for his role as being the 21st Century Dick Clark.

[FreddyE1977]

Why not?  The American People seem to put more care, thought and effort into electing the next
American Idol than they do for Congress, Senators or the President.

[DToTheJ]

NBC would never make Seacrest an anchor...

Well, he does have experience as an anchor on the exclamation point network...  \

[Lkeller]

Why not?  The American People seem to put more care, thought and effort into electing the next
American Idol than they do for Congress, Senators or the President.

Sad, but true.  And election coverage is getting more like Idol every year - or a sporting event. The news covers the polls, who's ahead in the race "if the election was held today," and who made what verbal gaffe and how it will effect his/her chances.  I'm not voting for Romney, but could we please stop talking about his dog riding on the car roof? The issues - what people should care about - are covered much less, and seem like an after-thought.

I'd insert a crying emoticon if there was one...

[searadiofreak]

Yes, the world of entertainment and politics seem to be coming together.  Notice all the coverage of The White House Correspondents dinner, something that has been building over recent years.  So does this mean our President needs to be an entertainer as well as a politician, as well as a statesman, as well as the head of our armed forces?  My head is spinning, frankly.

[DToTheJ]

"...the world of entertainment and politics seem to be coming together..."

It all started with Bill Clinton playing the sax on "Arsenio Hall" twenty years ago...

[recto101]

Yes, the world of entertainment and politics seem to be coming together.  Notice all the coverage of The White House Correspondents dinner, something that has been building over recent years.  So does this mean our President needs to be an entertainer as well as a politician, as well as a statesman, as well as the head of our armed forces?  My head is spinning, frankly.

Entertainment and Politics came together when Ronald Reagan ran for Governor of California in the 1960's and 1970's and for President in the 1980's. Entertainment and Politics came together again in 2003 and 2006 when Arnold Schwartzenegger ran for Governor of California.

[Lkeller]

Yes, the world of entertainment and politics seem to be coming together.  Notice all the coverage of The White House Correspondents dinner, something that has been building over recent years.  So does this mean our President needs to be an entertainer as well as a politician, as well as a statesman, as well as the head of our armed forces?  My head is spinning, frankly.

Entertainment and Politics came together when Ronald Reagan ran for Governor of California in the 1960's and 1970's and for President in the 1980's. Entertainment and Politics came together again in 2003 and 2006 when Arnold Schwartzenegger ran for Governor of California.

Actually, Reagan was not the first. In 1964 - two years before Reagan's run for Governor, former actor and song-and-dance man George Murphy (Republican) ran for US Senate from California and won - serving one six year term.  And if you go WAY back, in the 1940s, actress Helen Gahagan Douglas was the first woman Congressperson from California.  Her political career ended when she ran for US Senate in 1950, and was beaten by Tricky Dick Nixon, who smeared her as "the Red Lady" (communist).

In 1965, satirist Tom Lehrer wrote a funny song about George Murphy that mentions both  "Helen Gahagan" (her name as an actress) and Reagan.  At that time, Reagan was considered a bit of a joke by the liberal intelligensia.

Here's a link to the Murphy song on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rSNQlsR5Pc

[Braves2005]

I wonder what political affiliation Dick Clark was while he was alive and well and would he have done the same thing as Ryan Seacrest and hosting election coverage. I really doubt that Dick would have done something like this but then again times are changing.

And those press dinners have taken on a more higher profile ever since Obama was elected President. You certainly didn't hear anything about them when Clinton, Bush, Bush Jr., Reagan, etc. were President.

I wonder if NBC is planning on 2 different game plans, one if Obama is re-elected and one if Romney is elected in November in their election coverage and that saving Seacrest for Obama's win and another reporter for Romney's win.